Galatians 1

Galatians 1:1

Paul always began his Epistles in one of two ways: To the Romans and the Philippians, to Titus and Philemon, he introduced himself as a servant, or prisoner of Christ. To the Corinthians and the Ephesians, to the Colossians and the Galatians, he presented himself as an apostle. Why? Because to those who embraced and welcomed his ministry, he was a servant; but to those who challenged his authority, he was an apostle, a “sent one” of Jesus Christ. Thus, even the opening verse of this letter underscores the fact that Paul’s enemiesthose who taught the “three R’s of religion”: rules, regulations, and ritualssought to undermine the ministry of grace in the region of Galatia by questioning the authority of Paul. This still happens today. When someone wants to subvert a ministry, he invariably slanders the ministerespecially if he can’t argue proficiently against the doctrine. Paul’s enemies were no exception. They continually challenged his authority, saying, “He doesn’t have the credentials to teach as he does.” So, too, the religionist comes to us, saying, “You believe in Jesus? That’s great. So do I. But there’s a little more to it than that.” “Really? Then how is man saved?” I ask. “Well, believe in Jesus Christ and join our church,” or, “Believe in Jesus Christ and sell magazines,” or, “Believe in Jesus Christ and wear holy underwear.” Whenever you hear the word and in conjunction with belief, you know you’re talking to a religionist. Jesus said it all boils down to only one thing: Believe on Him whom the Father hath sent (Joh_5:24). Put your trust in Him. Keep focused on Him. Open your heart to Him, for He alone is the basis of true faith. The question of authority is most often raised by those who want to keep people under the restraints of religion and legalism. “What authority do you have to do the things you do, to preach the way you preach, or to baptize in the manner you baptize?” they ask. “Who are you?” the priests and Levites asked John the Baptist. “Are you Elijah?” “No.” “Are you Messiah?” “No.” “Well, then, in whose authority do you do these things?” (see Joh_1:19-25). After questioning John in chapter 1, the Jews questioned Jesus in chapter 2. Following His cleansing of the temple, they came to Him, saying, “By what authority do You do these things?” (see Joh_2:18). The questioning of authority is a strategy often used by religious organizations and ritualistic people. “We alone are the direct descendants of the apostles,” they say. “Through the tunnel of history, their apostolic anointing has been passed generation by generation to us.” Not true. Nothing in Scripture indicates that anointing can be passed on by man. Only God can impart authority. “Then what is the value of being formally ordained?” you ask. At best, ordination says that the Lord has touched this brother, or that ministry; that His hand is upon it, and His grace flowing through it. Ordination, therefore, is nothing more than a ratification of what the Lord is already doing. That’s why Paul said at the outset of this Epistle, “My authority was not given me by men, but by Jesus Christ.”

Galatians 1:2

Why did Paul so often link peace with grace (1Co_1:3; 2Co_1:2; Eph_1:2; Php_1:2; Col_1:2; 1Th_1:1; 2Th_1:2; Phm_1:3)? Because man will never know peace until he understands grace. What is grace? Grace is unmerited, undeserved, unearned favor. The old acrostic still says it best: God’s Riches At Christ’s Expensenot because of anything you do or have done, but because of who Christ is and what He’s done. You don’t need to go through rituals. You don’t need to live under regulations. You can have peace today if you understand grace because the grace of God brings peace in a profound way.

Galatians 1:4

“Evil world?” you say. “Don’t we sing, ‘This Is My Father’s World’? If it’s God’s, then why is it evil?” God the Father placed this world in the custody of Adam and Eve, our representatives in the Garden of Eden. When they fell, they, in turn, transferred ownership of the world to the one to whom they chose to submitSatan. That is why when Satan offered Jesus all of the kingdoms of the world in return for worship (Mat_4:8-9), Jesus didn’t dispute his right to make such an offer. Therefore, when people indict God for the corruption and evil of this world, it belies their ignorance of world history. The reason the world is so messed up and perverted is because, in rejecting God, mankind gave Satan dominion of the world system. While it is true that God has placed perimeters around Satan, as we move toward the end of the ages, things will become more and more bizarre. People will excuse every sort of aberrant behavior by saying, “It’s not my fault. I’m made that way.” And evil will run rampant. “As it was in the days of Noah"punctuated with sexual aberrations; “as it was in the days of Lot"permeated with homosexual exaltation"so it will be in the last days,” said Jesus (see Luk_17:26-28). The Good News is that Jesus Christ died for our sins so that He could deliver us from this present evil world. We’re going to heaven, folks. And that day is not very far off.

Galatians 1:5

I’m convinced we are on the verge of witnessing the coming of Jesus Christ. We’ll be taken to heaven, where things will be right at last. Then we’ll come back to earth, where He will rule and reign with righteousness for one thousand years. No wonder Paul says, “To Him be glory forever and ever"for He has delivered us from this present evil world and into His glorious kingdom.

Galatians 1:6

So-called “spiritual men” came on the scene in Galatia, saying, “It’s great that you’re born-again Christians and that you believe in the gospel. But it’s not quite that simple. If you really want to be spiritual, you must follow the lawparticularly the rite of circumcision. You must show you’re serious by inflicting pain upon your body.” Paul said, “I marvel that you guys in Galatia have fallen for this.” The Greek word translated “trouble” means “seasick.” It’s the same word used in Mat_14:26, when, in the midst of a storm, the disciples were troubled when they saw Jesus walking on the water. The word connotes queasiness. This is understandable, since hearing they needed to be circumcised would be troubling news indeed to the Gentile believers.

Galatians 1:8

“Anyonea preacher, prophet, or even an angel from heavenwho preaches another gospel is to be damned,” said Paul. In 1 Kings 13, a young prophet burst onto the scene, found Jeroboam standing before an altar he had built to worship idols, and said, “Thus saith the Lord, Upon this altar shall the bones of your prophets be burned. And this shall be a sign: this altar will split in half.” Upon hearing this, Jeroboam stretched out his hand and ordered the prophet seized. But as he did, his arm became paralyzed. At that moment, the altar did indeed crack and Jeroboam was filled with fear. “I repent,” Jeroboam cried. “Please pray for me.” The prophet complied, and Jeroboam’s hand was immediately restored. “Come to the palace,” said a relieved and grateful Jeroboam, “and I will give you food and clothing.” “I can’t,” the prophet replied. “God told me very plainly that I was only to deliver the Word, and then return to my people.” On his way home, he was met by an older prophet, who, having heard what had transpired said to him, “I heard about what happened with Jeroboam. Come to my house, have dinner with me, and we’ll talk about prophet stuff.” “I can’t,” said the young prophet. “God told me I’m to go back to my own people.” “Well,” the old prophet argued, “I’ve been a prophet longer than youand an angel came and told me to tell you you’re to come to my house.” Finally, the young prophet gave in and accompanied the older prophet to his house. In the middle of the meal, the old prophet began to cry. “What’s wrong?” asked the young prophet. “You’re going to die,” said the old prophet. “Why?” “You shouldn’t have come here. You should have obeyed God. Why did you listen to me? The word of the Lord to you, young man, is that when you leave here, a lion will devour you.” And, sure enough, as the young man hurried home, a lion attacked and killed him. If you know the Word but listen instead to a seemingly older or wiser so-called apostle or prophet who says something contrary to the Word, like the young prophet, you will be eaten by the roaring lion that goes about seeking whom he may devour (1Pe_5:8). I camp on this point because in the days in which we live, there are many who will suggest to you practices, customs, and traditions that seem spiritual but aren’t scriptural. A so-called revival in the Church of England wherein people were laughing like hyenas, roaring like lions, and barking like dogs recently captured the attention of the secular media. My question is: Where is it written in the Word that people are to bark like dogs, roar like lions, or laugh hysterically for hours at a time? I firmly believe that everything we do in the practice of our faith and in the expression of worship must be seen in the Scriptures. “Well, that’s too restrictive,” you say. No, it isn’t. Whenever there is a phenomenon or an expression of the Spirit, if, like Peter on the Day of Pentecost, you can say, “This is that spoken by the Word” (see Act_2:16), you will have a solid and stable walk. A good rule of thumb concerning any practice or tradition is this: Where do you see it in the life of Jesus? Secondly, does it continue through the Book of Acts? Finally, is it taught by Paul in the Epistles? There is so much in the life of Jesus, expressed through the Book of Acts, and taught by the apostle Paul that we are not yet experiencing, we have our work cut out for us just doing the things we see in Scripturelet alone exploring avenues that are not there. “The two sticks in Ezekiel 37 refer to the Gospel and the Book of Mormon,” said the angel Moroni. “Put on these glasses, Joseph, and you’ll see another gospel, a further revelation.” Not true. Paul says let the person, prophet, preacher, or angel who says there’s another gospel be accursed.

Galatians 1:10

“Religious ritualists might come down on me and call me narrow-minded and simple,” said Paul. “I don’t care. I must please God rather than men. If I was trying to please these heavy-handed leaders, I could not be the servant of Christ.” Fearing God or Fearing Man? A Topical Study of Gal_1:10 “The fear of man is a snare,” Solomon declared (see Pro_29:25). Paul elaborated on this, saying if we fear men, we cannot be the servants of Christ. Try to fit in with this group on campus, or that group on the job site, try to speak their lingo, laugh at their jokes, be cool like themit will end in disaster. Ask David… The Rear of Man Brings Humiliation Fleeing from Saul, David went to the Philistine city of Gath (1 Samuel 21). Upon his arrival, the servants of Achish, king of Gath, said, “Is not this David? Did not they sing one to another of him, saying, Saul hath slain his thousands, but David his ten thousands?” Oh no, thought David. They know who I am. So, the Word says, “He changed his behavior before them and feigned himself mad in their hands.” He scratched on the doors of the gate and let spittle run down his beard. Poor David. The same guy who killed Goliath, the same one noted for courage and valor is now falling prey to the fear of man, acting like an idiot. It’s tragic. Although his plan worked, David was humiliated and embarrassed even to this day. Thousands of years later, we’re talking about David playing the fool because of the fear of man. It’s amazing to watch teenagers, adults, and even older people act like fools. It’s amazing to see people try to fit in because they’re afraid of man. It’s amazing to see people, who, like David, love God and have seen victories in the Lord in times past, fearing man, look like idiots with spit running down their beards as they try to fit in and be cool. Truly, the fear of man brings humiliation, for even the Achishes of this world say, “Get this guy out of here” (see 1Sa_21:14-15). The Fear of Man Brings Devastation “Saul, you are to go and do battle against the Amalekites,” said Samuel (see 1 Samuel 15). “You are to destroy all of the men, women, sheep, and cattle.” Saul engaged the Amalekites in battle and was indeed victorious. Upon his return, he saw Samuel off in the distance. “Praise the Lord,” he shouted. “I did what you told me to do.” “Then what’s that bleating I hear?” asked Samuel. The people wanted to bring some of the best sheep back to sacrifice to the Lord,” answered Saul. “What about him?” asked Samuel, pointing to the man hiding behind Saul. “That’s Agag, king of the Amalekites. I brought him back as a trophy,” said Saul. “Didn’t I tell you that all of the sheep and people were to be killed?” said Samuel. “The Lord requires obedience, not sacrifice. Because you listened to the people rather than to God, you will lose your authority and your monarchy.” Years later, Saul was wounded in battle. With his last breath, he asked his attacker from whence he came. “I am an Amalekite” was the reply (2Sa_1:8). Saul not only lost his crown, but he lost his life because of the fear of man. The Fear of Man Brings Disqualification Moses came down from the mountaintop to find the people of Israel dancing around a golden calf. “What’s going on?” he asked Aaron, the high priest. “It’s not my fault,” Aaron said. “The people brought me their golden earrings. I simply threw them into the fire and out came this golden calf” (see Exo_32:24). And so it was that Aaron was removed from the kind of ministry he could have had, for it was at this point that God instituted the Levitical priesthood. You see, it was only the Levites who said, “We fear not man, but will stand with the Lord, no matter what others do” (see Exo_32:26). Truly, the fear of man brings humiliation, devastation, and disqualification. Those things won’t happen to me,” you say. “I’m a ‘No Fear’ kind of guy. Look, It even says so on my T-shirt.” Folks, the “No Fear” mentality is a fallacy because at any given moment, we are either living in the fear of man or in the fear of God. The fear of man is a snare (Pro_29:25). The fear of the Lord, on the other hand, is the beginning of wisdom (Pro_1:7). What does it mean to fear the Lord? It doesn’t mean being afraid of Him. It means being afraid of doing anything that would disappoint Him. The son of a pastor friend of mine was misbehaving in Sunday school. “God’s watching you, William,” the teacher said. Little William went home that afternoon and asked his dad if it was true that God was always watching him. Knowing the reason for his son’s question, this wise father said, “Yeah, William. It’s trueGod’s always watching you. He loves you so much He just can’t take His eyes off you.” The fear of God says, “Thank You, Father, for Your goodness, Your grace, Your kindness. Oh, Father, I don’t want to do anything to grieve You.” The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom (Pro_9:10). The word “beginning” doesn’t mean “the starting point.” It means “the basis of.” In other words, the foundation of wisdom is to fear God, realizing at any moment, in every moment, His eye is upon you. Not only is the fear of the Lord the beginning of wisdom, but it “prolongeth days” (Pro_10:27). When you fear the Lord, your days are long or, literally, “enriched.” The fear of the Lord enriches your days and makes prosperous all you do. The fear of the Lord is to hate evil (Pro_8:13). Knowing God’s loving gaze is fixed upon you will cause you to steer clear of anything that is corrupt or carnal. From the time she was a baby, my daughter Jessie never went anywhere without her blanket. As the day drew near for her to start school, I became increasingly worried. But as we walked out the door together on that first day of kindergarten, I was as shocked as I was relieved to see her without her beloved blanket. “Where’s your blanket, Jessie?” I asked somewhat fearfully. “I’m not going to let the boys see me with a blanket, Daddy,” she said. And she never picked up her blanket again. Truly, when you care about someone, you find yourself behaving differently! The fear of the Lord is strong confidence and a fountain of life (Pro_14:26-27). If you want to go through life confidently, if you want to experience a continual flow of refreshment, live your life in the fear of the Lord. Precious people, right now you either fear what family, friends, co-workers, or neighbors think of youor you are living in the fear of God. If you’re living in the fear of man, trying to fit in, like David, people will see you as an idiot. Like Saul, you’ll be destroyed. Like Aaron, you’ll miss out on what could have been. But if you’re living in the fear of God, your days will be prosperous, your foundation sure, and your life blessed. May the Lord give us a new desire and a new resolve to say, “We choose today to give no place to the fear of man. We choose, instead, to walk in the fear of God.” According to Paul, only then can we be servants of Christ.

Galatians 1:11

In verses Gal_1:1-11, we saw grace declared in Paul’s message. Beginning with verse Gal_1:12, we see grace depicted in Paul’s life as he shares his own story.

Galatians 1:13

“You know my story,” Paul said. “I was into Judaism radically, a Pharisee of Pharisees (Php_3:5-6). In addition, I wasted the church, looking for Christians to bring to trial (Act_9:1-2).

Galatians 1:15

“Even though I was a Jew’s Jew,” Paul argued, “God had something else in mind for me. From my mother’s womb, I was called into the ministry of sharing the Good News of the gospel. Sidetracked for a while, I got involved in religion. God, however, knew all along that I would be an apostle of the gospel of grace.” In religious circles today, it’s impressive to have a D.D.a Doctorate of Divinity. Paul had a D.D.a Doctorate of the Desert. He was in good company: Moses, John the Baptist, and Jesus all spent time in the desert. Maybe these are dry, difficult days for you. It could be that God wants to reveal Jesus Christ to you in a fresh way. For that to happen, He may do to you what He did to John the apostle when He sent him to Patmos… At one hundred years of age, John was exiled to Patmosa rocky, barren, seemingly God-forsaken island. It was a tough situation, and, no doubt, John questioned what was going on. “I’m old,” he could have said. “I’ve trusted in the Lord. I’m linked to Him. Why this isolation?” When he saw Jesus Christ, John started writing. Twenty-two chapters later, the Book of Revelation was complete. When was revelation given to John? When he was isolated on an island. Perhaps you’re at a point where you’re saying, “Who can I talk to?” or, “What counsel can I receive?“when the Lord may have you on an island of isolation for a season in order to give you a revelation of Jesus Christ. Don’t bemoan your condition. Don’t bewail your situation. Worship the Lord. Draw close to Him. Be stilland you will see Him in ways you never would have had you been anywhere else.

Galatians 1:18

“After three years, I went to Jerusalem to see Peter,” said Paul. “I didn’t see any of the other apostles, except James, the Lord’s brother. Peter greeted me and welcomed me for fifteen days. James did so briefly. The other apostles wanted nothing to do with me.” This is understandable. Seeing Paul spending time with Christians would have been comparable to seeing Adolf Hitler attending synagogue. Paul, being a persecutor of Christians, and a waster of the church, the church didn’t quite know what to make of him.

Galatians 1:20

In some regions, people wondered about Paul. In others, they glorified God in him.